Do the Rothschilds Control the World? 

From humble beginnings in the Frankfurt ghettos of the 1760s, Mayer Amschel Rothschild's rise to patriarch of a global banking empire is often overshadowed by enduring yet baseless antisemitic accusations that paint the Rothschild family as puppeteers behind world affairs. The Rothschild name has been synonymous with both financial innovation and conspiracy theories ranging from controlling global events to creating financial crises.

Despite their continued contributions to banking and philanthropy, the Rothschild heirs remain symbols of harmful Jewish stereotypes about wealth. In the digital age, these theories have not only persisted but have grown and been embellished upon online, shrouding the family’s legacy in continued controversy.

Essential Questions:

1. Why do people believe antisemitic stereotypes? 
2. How have antisemitic ideas persisted throughout history?
3. How do conspiracy theories use and misuse historical facts to support their claims?

Big Ideas:

1. The material success of some Jews is explained by historical and cultural circumstances.  
2. Conspiracy theories about Jewish wealth and power spread quickly because they confirm what people already believe (confirmation bias) and provide an explanation for world events.